For the Everyday Ordinary...

"Normal Day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all in the world, for your return." ~ Mary Jean Iron

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Mr. Bojingles

Winter has finally ended ~ the last frost has passed and the warmth of summer is just over the horizon. With the end of Winter's Story there were other endings as well.

We said goodbye to our Bobo. It was unexpected and very quick - one moment chasing homemade felted fluffballs around the house making his Happy Bobo chirps and meows and the next I was holding him in my arms, against my heart and saying farewell.

He stopped eating on Thursday and we took him to the vet Friday morning. By Sunday we were back in the Emergency Animal hospital where they kept him overnight. Monday morning we took him back to his regular vet and by evening it was over.

It was raining that day ~ cold and damp.

He loved my favorite purple sweater and if it was not on me, he was on it. The last day he spent at home he spent curled up on my sweater in my closet.

When he was a kitten he used to hop up onto the couch next to one of the other kitties and take a nap every day at 2pm.

Every night at bedtime he had a special ritual. He would race us up to our bedroom and jump up onto my husband's nightstand. There he would sit patiently while we brushed our teeth and got ready for bed. Once we were all snuggly in bed, he'd step over my husband's pillow and snuggle between us for belly rubs and ear scratches. He'd lay there for about 15 minutes, then leap down to the floor. My husband would open the door and Bobo would dash away (he never walked - he was always dashing, leaping, bounding - practically flying!) We always said Bobo was tucking us in.

We got him a few weeks before Christmas 8 years ago (that is why we called him Bojingles). I truly believe he thought we put the Christmas tree up every year in his honor. As soon as it was up he'd climb up into it and flatten branches in the center so he could lay on them. We lost many, many ornaments, as he also thought we hung them just for him.

He was a rescue kitty that we adopted when he was about 5 or 6 months old. The beginning of his life was very hard - the animal rescue program we adopted him from thought he had probably been kicked in the face when he was tiny. He had all of his front teeth kicked out and had sustained an injury to his eye that left him blind in that eye - but that never, ever stopped him. And in spite of all of that, he was never afraid of us and always loving and trusting. And oh, so friendly!

He was a super long cat - his vet said was of an "athletic" build - and he was definitely athletic! He could also twist himself into all kinds of positions that all the other kitties envied.

When we first saw him he was in a cage, rolling around with his newspaper padding, shredding it joyfully - completely oblivious of the audience he was drawing to him. He had on a tiny red collar with tiny bells jingling (the other reason we named him Mr. Bojingles). My husband and I looked at him, then looked at each other and immediately said, "we'll take him!"

When we got him home it was as if he had always lived here. There was a bit of hissing from our other kitties, but he just had a way of working his way into hearts - theirs included. In no time at all, they were pals and nap buddies.

Meal times were always cause for great excitement - he would vocalize and wind around our feet, then chirp at us as we placed his bowl of yummies on the floor for him. Sometimes I was apparently not fast enough and he'd just jump up onto the counter!

He was loved by our three girl kitties.

Because he had no front teeth, he would always get very drooly when we loved on him and when he

was purring - it never bothered us, though.

He was not a "kissy" kitty - he never licked anyone...but me. It was rare, and I always felt it was such an honor when he'd gently lick me with his sandpaper tongue. Just a quick little kiss - almost not there at all. But oh so special.

Even in his final days he was still so happy - even in his last moments with us. It was as if he was giving us reassurance and comfort. Our vet made an impression of his paw, which we will hang on our Christmas tree this year in memory of our sweet Bobo.

I still feel a hole where Bobo used to be. I miss his little noises and how he would chase his shadow on the hardwood floor. How he'd run to us whenever we returned home from somewhere. I miss giving him belly rubs at night before we go to sleep. I still pull a 4th plate out at meal time before I remember he is not here.

Goodbye sweet Bobo - I hope you are chasing birds and mice and feeling the spring breeze in your whiskers wherever you are. Thank you for all the joy you gave to us in your short life! xo

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